We all have bad habits that hinder our quality of life. When it comes to weight loss, we need to reconsider our habits and eliminate those that keep us from healthier bodies. Our bad habits might relieve us of stress temporarily but in the long run, it is not the best for us. For example, fast food is convenient after a long workday but it adds to our waistlines gradually.

Here are a few bad habits you must ditch if you want permanent weight loss.

Giving in to Late Night Cravings

It’s midnight and you ate dinner right before 7. But you can’t enough of that delicious raspberry chocolate ice cream from the local store. So you head to the refrigerator and grab three big scoops of it, and the next day you feel guilty. You should give up late night meals because it causes the body to not burn off too many calories.

Drinking Too Many Soft Drinks

Another bad habit that causes weight gain is the consumption of sodas on a regular basis. The average can of soda is 140 calories so if you drink three of those in one day, you would have consumed enough calories to equal a meal. And if you eat a large portioned meal along with the soda, you’ll gain additional weight. A better alternative is to drink water or unsweetened tea with lemon.

Inadequate Exercise

You should get rid of inadequate exercise if you want to lose weight. If you have a busy lifestyle, you can still make time for a 30-minute workout. You might decide to work out early in the morning before work or you can do an hour of exercises after dinner. You don’t have to limit yourself to aerobic exercises. Switch it up by doing brisk walking, jogging, dancing, playing sports and swimming. You can learn more about proper exercise from sites like totalshape.

Doing Long Workouts at Slow Pace

Even for those who exercise regularly, they have a bad habit of doing long workouts at moderate or slow paces. Research has recently shown that faster-paced workouts such as high-intensity interval training are more effective in burning calories. With HIIT you are doing short sessions of high-intensity workouts. To get real results from these workouts you should do them at least three times a week.

Fruit Overload

In general, fruit is healthy for you but keep in mind that many fruits are high in sugars and calories. Just like any healthy food, eat fruits in moderation. You should also stay away from canned fruits as they contain sugary syrups that are high in calories. A healthy way to use fruit is to prepare infused water.

Lack of Portion Control

When you eat meals, do you make the mistake of eating large portions of food? This leads to improper digestion of the meals you consume. You should eat food on smaller plates and eat smaller meals during the day.

Final Word

In conclusion, when you adopt healthier habits, your weight improves. You don’t have to follow fad diets or exercise yourself to death in order to achieve your goals. You just need realistic goals, a strong support system, and hard work. You might fail at times, but the important thing is that you learn from those mistakes and get back on track. When you achieve your weight loss goals, you will be happy and healthy.